U2 = Sellouts?

A recent TV commercial caught my attention, and jogged my memory a little bit. When the iPod really started to take off, Apple released a special edition version on October 26th, 2004 featuring a black iPod with a Red click wheel, and the back displayed signatures from all 4 members of U2. The launch included a version of U2's Vertigo being performed while the band appears in Apple's classic silhouette with white earphone style.

With Apple's release of the iPhone and iPhone 3GS, it should have been the ideal platform to merge U2's star power with this sleek smart phone. But it appears Bono and the boys have jumped ship.

Currently the smart phone industry has 2 juggernauts battling for supremacy (Apple iPhone and RIM Blackberry). The commercial that brought this to my mind was RIM's new Blackberry ads featuring U2, prompting rumours of a "U2 Blackberry" in the near future. Currently RIM is sponsoring U2's latest tour.

If Blackberry loves U2, I'm starting to think U2 loves whatever people will pay them to love.

Whats next? U2 Coke and 5 years later we'll see U2 Pepsi?